Latest news with #BusinessSouth
Otago Daily Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Dunedin-Auckland flights boost welcomed
A boost in seats to flights between Auckland and Dunedin will help stimulate spending across the city in time for key events, an industry leader says. Air New Zealand announced yesterday its Auckland-Dunedin route was among three southern connections that would receive a boost in capacity later this year. Between June 28 and October 25, select services across the three routes would operate using the larger Airbus A321, adding more seats to the network at a time of strong seasonal demand, it said. A total of 46 existing flights on the Auckland-Dunedin route would be upgauged from the Airbus A320 to the A321, adding a total of 2100 new seats. This would support key student movement dates and special events, including the All Blacks' game in Dunedin in July and the Big Sing finale in August. The Auckland-Christchurch and Auckland-Queenstown routes comparatively would receive a combined total of 570 upgauged flights — or approximately 34,000 new seats. Chief commercial officer Jeremy O'Brien said the airline was thrilled to be able to connect more customers over the winter season. "Whether they're heading back to university, to a special event, or to the slopes this winter, these seats will mean more choice and opportunity to fly and more flexibility to plan travel around the moments that matter," Mr O'Brien said. "This isn't just about adding flights, it's about supporting our regions." Business South chief executive Mike Collins said the changes were "definitely positive". "We've been advocating to Air New Zealand on behalf of business for additional capacity, so any additional seating that is going to provide some more volume to the business community is something we've seen as favourable." Aligning the boost in capacity with key events would be advantageous to businesses in the city as it would stimulate spending on accommodation and hospitality. He was surprised Air New Zealand had made a change in the short term, but he believed it was a sign the airline was listening to and monitoring the demand for services in the region, Mr Collins said. "There's a lot of investment going on in Dunedin at the moment and a lot of activity. "So if that's flowing through to contractors coming into town and on flights and a lot more passenger travel between Dunedin and Auckland, that wouldn't surprise me, because there is quite a lot of activity going on in the city ... from an investment perspective."
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Could Sydney-style water taxis come to Portsmouth?
For those living near harbours in the South of England, the idea of calling a water taxi to get to work or home from a night out could soon be a idea was the subject of a summit last week involving politicians, ferry providers, business leaders and experts in marine event at the Portsmouth's historic dockyard heard the system could work on an "on-demand" basis, like Uber, or on a scheduled timetable, and could be key to helping alleviate some of the South's traffic ferry operators warned that public subsidies would be needed to get services off the ground and encourage people out of their car. The event was organised by Dame Caroline Dinenage, MP for Gosport, who said she wanted to hear the "art of the possible" and mimic cities like Sydney in Australia, which use water taxis for commuting and afterwards she said: "There's a definite enthusiasm to get things up and running to make the most of the water we have here. Everybody in one room helped see what the opportunities and obstacles are." Supporters of the idea included the operators of Gunwharf Quays, Hampshire chamber of commerce and Business South who said it could help encourage economic growth. But some of ferry operators at the summit said it was a challenge to change mindsets, to get people onto boats and out of cars, particularly outside of the summer months. The operator of the overnight ferry connecting Portsmouth and Gosport stopped sailings in February due to a lack of demand. Many in the industry said a change in government policy was needed are government grants to support public transport - like bus service improvement plans (BSIP) and the move back to public ownership for trains - but no such financial support exists in England for the maritime Rayment, owner of Blue Funnel Cruises, said: "Scottish ferries are subsidised, the ferries which cross Sydney harbour get financial support and there's been grants to the Thames clippers in London, but down here on the South Coast, there's nothing we can apply for, that's frustrating."Many in the room said public subsidies were needed while the service was in its infancy as the "passengers won't come instantly".In response, Caroline Dinenage said political backing was key as well as business support. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Otago Daily Times
08-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
'Poor' performance: Businesses blast DCC
Businesses have blasted the Dunedin City Council, saying the city risks floundering under the weight of rising rates, red-tape and a lack of leadership. The dissatisfaction with the city's leadership was laid bare in a submission by Business South on the council's draft 2025-34 long-term plan. The organisation said it had engaged with 600 businesses across the city. A total of 39% believed the council was ''poor'' at understanding businesses and the impact of their decisions. Inefficiencies within the council were a ''major concern'' for the businesses they had engaged with, Business South chief executive Mike Collins said in its submission. ''Delays in consenting, red tape and complex Resource Management Act and land development processes are seriously affecting productivity - especially in the construction sector. ''There's a strong call for the council to operate more efficiently, cut bureaucracy and be easier to do business with.'' Financial management and spending priorities were a recurring concern and many felt too much money was going towards administration and ''nice-to-haves'' instead of core services. ''Calls for restraint included requests to freeze or reduce rates, justify all expenditure, especially with non-local suppliers, and provide support to businesses impacted by council-led infrastructure changes.'' Business South joined others in calling for the council not to increase development contributions. The additional cost would impact the region's ability to compete with other regions and was a disincentive to develop in the city, which could risk some businesses ceasing their operations and relocating elsewhere, Mr Collins said. Many respondents were frustrated by the lack of a co-ordinated economic development strategy, which they believed held the city back. They also felt ''ignored, under-represented, or disengaged from council decision-making'', he said. Councillors were also told the cost of building entry level medium density houses was between $75,000 and $100,000 more expensive in Dunedin than in Christchurch, and the city needed a greater supply of affordable housing to attract and retain workers. At the hearing yesterday, Mr Collins said there had been a lot of conversation about the ''bricks and mortar'' of the new Dunedin hospital development. ''I think in the long-term plan we need to see a bit more narrative around how do we attract the talent and the resources for the hospital build. ''It's all good to have a bed, but who looks after the person in that bed?'' The same thing could be said for affordable housing, and how the city could create the right support networks to attract people to the city - potentially by linking the workforce in with the university and polytechnic around career pathways. Cr Mandy Mayhem questioned what a pathway for students to become Dunedin residents could look like. Mr Collins said there were businesses and investors waiting to make improvements to student accommodation but were being ''stifled'' by compliance hurdles and operational issues. This highlighted the need for a ''master plan'' that brought together many individuals' ideas and identified investment opportunities in the city, he said.
Otago Daily Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Council called on to improve efficiency
Businesses have blasted the Dunedin City Council, saying the city risks floundering under the weight of rising rates, red-tape and a lack of leadership. The dissatisfaction with the city's leadership was laid bare in a submission by Business South on the council's draft 2025-34 long-term plan. The organisation said it had engaged with 600 businesses across the city. A total of 39% believed the council was ''poor'' at understanding businesses and the impact of their decisions. Inefficiencies within the council were a ''major concern'' for the businesses they had engaged with, Business South chief executive Mike Collins said in its submission. ''Delays in consenting, red tape and complex Resource Management Act and land development processes are seriously affecting productivity - especially in the construction sector. ''There's a strong call for the council to operate more efficiently, cut bureaucracy and be easier to do business with.'' Financial management and spending priorities were a recurring concern and many felt too much money was going towards administration and ''nice-to-haves'' instead of core services. ''Calls for restraint included requests to freeze or reduce rates, justify all expenditure, especially with non-local suppliers, and provide support to businesses impacted by council-led infrastructure changes.'' Business South joined others in calling for the council not to increase development contributions. The additional cost would impact the region's ability to compete with other regions and was a disincentive to develop in the city, which could risk some businesses ceasing their operations and relocating elsewhere, Mr Collins said. Many respondents were frustrated by the lack of a co-ordinated economic development strategy, which they believed held the city back. They also felt ''ignored, under-represented, or disengaged from council decision-making'', he said. Councillors were also told the cost of building entry level medium density houses was between $75,000 and $100,000 more expensive in Dunedin than in Christchurch, and the city needed a greater supply of affordable housing to attract and retain workers. At the hearing yesterday, Mr Collins said there had been a lot of conversation about the ''bricks and mortar'' of the new Dunedin hospital development. ''I think in the long-term plan we need to see a bit more narrative around how do we attract the talent and the resources for the hospital build. ''It's all good to have a bed, but who looks after the person in that bed?'' The same thing could be said for affordable housing, and how the city could create the right support networks to attract people to the city - potentially by linking the workforce in with the university and polytechnic around career pathways. Cr Mandy Mayhem questioned what a pathway for students to become Dunedin residents could look like. Mr Collins said there were businesses and investors waiting to make improvements to student accommodation but were being ''stifled'' by compliance hurdles and operational issues. This highlighted the need for a ''master plan'' that brought together many individuals' ideas and identified investment opportunities in the city, he said.
Otago Daily Times
01-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Calls for independent agency to drive growth
Business South is calling for the creation of an independent economic development agency with strong business and iwi representation to drive co-ordinated, outcome-focused growth for Dunedin. This week, the organisation's board and chief executive Mike Collins met Dunedin city councillors ahead of the formal hearings for the 2025-34 long-term plan (LTP). In its submission, Business South said a strong and adequately funded agency, led by an experienced team outside of the council, was needed to ensure the growth required to deliver the rates necessary for the LTP's infrastructure requirements. It also suggested a private sector governance structure with council representation comprising the mayor or deputy mayor. From engaging with 600 businesses across the city, the organisation found 41% of businesses believed the council was average when it engaged with businesses in decision making, 43% believed it was average at supporting and/or enabling businesses and 39% believed it was poor at understanding businesses and the impact of its decisions. Business South strongly opposed proposed increases to rates and development contributions that would add pressure to businesses navigating economic uncertainties. It called for faster, more efficient consenting and compliance pathways that reduced "red tape" and supported growth, and it supported investment in infrastructure in transport networks, digital connectivity and essential services, saying modern, efficient infrastructure underpinned business growth and resilience. To attract and retain workers, Dunedin needed a greater supply of affordable housing and affordable industrial and commercial land for business expansion. Housing shortages were directly impacting the ability to hire and grow. "From a developer's perspective, a lot of what has been rezoned, people wouldn't want to live on or is in a hazard zone and purchasers are not interested. As a result, there are higher land prices. "Businesses and the community want certainty around future plans to have confidence about where they are investing," the submission said. According to a CoreLogic report, Dunedin was the third-most unaffordable major centre in New Zealand and it cost $75,000-$100,000 more to build comparable entry-level medium density houses in Dunedin than Christchurch. That extra cost was due to many factors including construction costs, availability of suitable land, size of sections and hilly topography. Businesses were were also calling for proactive council support in emerging sectors like tech, green energy, advanced manufacturing and sustainable industries. Business South suggested the council could work in partnership with it to establish and support those communities. That included setting up business hubs and innovation precincts, attracting venture capital partnerships and leveraging the University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic. Improving airline services to and from Dunedin was also seen as vital for trade, tourism and talent attraction. There was a need to create demand for sustainable flights by marketing the city internationally, it said.
